“What do I mean by a True Man? The True Man of ancient times did not rebel against want, did not grow proud in plenty, and did not plan his affairs. A man like this could commit an error and not regret it, could meet with success and not make a show. A man like this could climb the high places and not be frightened, could enter the water and not get wet, could enter the fire and not get burned. His knowledge was able to climb all the way up to the Way like this.”
The entirety of F section made me sit back and pause for a brief moment of reflection. This section, to me, personally feels like an unrealistic representation of man. Nowadays men are categorized as “feminine, girly, or weak” if they show empathy, sadness, depression, etc. The common saying that “Men have to be strong and protect at all times” is the vibe this section gives off. This, as we know is untrue. As time goes on, It slowly becomes a societal norm that men can express emotion, be in pain, or show signs of weakness, but as we know, for a long time, this was not accepted. The definition of a true man is subject in and of itself, but I feel that this definition from the text is not valid in this day and age. Im curious to know what makes a man a “true man” and how this differs based on peoples life-experiences and personal opinions!